ABSTRACT:
Children’s failure
to develop simple word decoding skills in early years is linked to future poor
reading, school dropout, and poor health [1] [2].
Letter-sound knowledge is needed for word decoding development; however questions
remain on what types of letter-sound knowledge help children decode simple
words [3].
This study investigated the differences in mean number of consonant-vowel-consonant
(CVC) words decoded between two groups of children, a letter-sound reading
group and non letter-sound reading group. Children aged 4 to 6 in both groups,
attempted to decode a variety of simple words such as tan, sit, hen, pig, dot, and fun. Analysis
determined word decoding differences existed between the two groups. The
alternate hypothesis was accepted; the letter-sound reading group had a
significantly higher mean in number of consonant-vowel-consonant words decoded
compared to the non letter-sound reading group. The study informs the teaching
approaches needed to improve early decoding skills showing letter-sound reading
ability is an important step for learning to decode simple
consonant-vowel-consonant words.